TONIGHT’S GAME
The Rangers will face-off against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden (7:00p.m. — TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in their fourth game in six days. The Blueshirts rank second in the Metropolitan Division standings, and fifth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 27-21-3 (57 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Washington Capitals, 4-1, on Sunday. The Blueshirts have won 11 of their last 15 games (11-3-1) and six of their last seven, and are tied for third in the conference in ROW (24). The Islanders enter the contest with a 20-24-7 (47 pts) record to rank 14th in the Eastern Conference, and have won nine of their last 12 games. Following tonight’s contest, the Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, Jan. 23, 7:00 p.m.), to conclude a three-game homestand.

RANGERS vs. ISLANDERS:All-Time: 120-100-19-7 overall (69-38-11-5 at home; 51-62-8-2 on the road)2013-14: Tonight is the third of five meetings this season, and the second of three meetings at Madison Square Garden. New York is 1-1-0 overall (0-1-0 at home;1-0-0 on the road), following a 5-3 loss on Dec. 20 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers power play is 4-11 (36.4%) in the series. Derek Stepan leads all skaters with three points (one goal, two assists) in two games, while Benoit Pouliot is tied for the series lead with two goals. Henrik Lundqvist is 0-1-0 with a 4.03 GAA, and Cam Talbot is 1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA.Last Season: New York was 3-0-1 overall (1-0-1 at home; 2-0-0 on the road). Three of their four meetings were decided in extra time, including one that required the shootout. The Rangers out-scored the Islanders, 10-6, in the series, including a 4-1 advantage in the first period and a 4-1 advantage after the second. The Blueshirts’ power play was 3-13 (23.1%), while the penalty kill was 8-8 (100.0%). Carl Hagelin (one goal, two assists), Rick Nash (one goal, two assists), and Marc Staal (three assists) each tallied three points apiece. Henrik Lundqvist was 3-0-0 with a 0.65 GAA, .977 Sv%, and one shutout in three games.
The Rangers have registered at least one point in 18 of their last 22 games against the Islanders, posting a record of 15-4-3 over the span, dating back to a 5-2 win on Dec. 17, 2009, at Long Island
The Blueshirts have points in 10 of their last 11 meetings with the Islanders at Madison Square Garden (8-1-2), having outscored Long Island, 43-23, during the stretch
NY Rangers are 12-11-3 at home; NY Islanders are 12-15-0 on the road
NY Rangers are 7-8-3 vs. Metropolitan Division opponents; NY Islanders are 4-11-3 vs. Metropolitan Division opponents
NY Rangers list no former Islander on their roster
NY Islanders list no former Rangers on their roster

SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Rangers have notched a power play goal in seven of the last nine games (8-31, 25.8%) and 12 of the last 17 (16-61, 26.2%)
Posted a five-game power play goal scoring streak from Jan. 4 at TOR – Jan. 12 vs. PHI (6-18, 33.3% during the streak)
The Rangers rank fourth in the league in combined PP% + PK% (104.9%)
Have tallied two or more power play goals in seven games this season
Tied for first in the league in 5-on-3 goals (five)Power Play: The Rangers were 1-5 (7:24) on Sunday vs. Washington. New York ranks seventh in the NHL overall (36-172, 20.9%), and is tied for 19th at home (16-94, 17.0%). The Rangers are 5-16 (6:55) in five-on-three situations (last – 1/19 vs. WSH), and 0-6 (6:56) when four-on-three (last – 1/19 vs. WSH). Shorthanded goals allowed (5): 10/8 at SJS (Vlasic); 10/24 at PHI (Read); 11/19 vs. BOS (Paille); 12/20 vs. NYI (Clutterbuck, PS); 12/20 vs. NYI (Grabner).Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts were 3-4 (7:04) with a shorthanded goal on Sunday vs. Washington. New York ranks ninth in the NHL overall (126-150, 84.0%), and 11th at home (61-73, 83.6%). The Rangers are 2-5 (3:54) in three-on-five situations (last – 1/19 vs. WSH), and 5-7 (5:39) when three-on-four (last – 1/6 vs. CBJ). Shorthanded goals for (3): 10/7 at LAK (McDonagh); 12/27 at WSH (Hagelin); 1/19 vs. WSH (Callahan).Four-on-Four: New York did not tally/yield a goal in one four-on-four situation (0:59) on Sunday vs. Washington, and are now -3 in 56 four-on-four situations (90:14) this season. Four-on-four goals for (4): 10/16 at WSH (J. Moore); 10/26 at DET (Brassard); 12/12 vs. CBJ (Girardi); 12/18 vs. PIT (Hagelin). Four-on-four goals allowed (7): 10/3 at PHX (Vrbata); 10/7 at LAK (Muzzin); 10/12 at STL (Backes); 12/8 vs. WSH (Grabovski, PS); 12/18 vs. PIT (Sutter); 12/27 at WSH (Fehr); 1/6 vs. CBJ (Atkinson).

HOME COOKIN': The Rangers have registered a point in seven of their last eight games at Madison Square Garden (6-1-1), and nine of their last 11 at home (7-2-2). New York is currently playing a stretch of seven home games in an eight-game span, having already completed a four-game homestand with a 3-1-0 mark.

THE PUCK STOPS HERE: The Blueshirts have held opponents to two or fewer goals in each of the last seven games, and nine of their last 11 overall. The Rangers have also allowed two or fewer goals in five straight games at home, and seven of their last eight at Madison Square Garden.

KING HENRIK: Henrik Lundqvist has held opponents to two goals or fewer in each of his last six games (5-1-0, 1.34 GAA, .958 Sv%, 1 SO), and is 7-2-1 with a 1.97 GAA, .937 Sv%, and one shutout in his last 10 appearances. Now in his ninth season, Lundqvist is seven wins away from the 300th of his NHL career, and eight wins away from Mike Richter’s franchise record of 301 career victories. He is also four appearances shy of Tiny Thompson for 50th on the NHL all-time goaltender appearances list.

RICK ROLLING: Rick Nash has notched a goal in five of the last eight games (seven goals over the span), and has been credited with the game-winning goal in each of the last four games in which he scored. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he’s the first Rangers player with a four-game streak of that kind in one season since Tom Poti in 2003-04. Nash leads the Rangers with 14 goals this season.

EARLY ADVANTAGE: The Blueshirts have tallied the first goal of the game in five of their last seven contests, and rank fourth in the NHL with a record of 21-3-1 (.840 win%) when scoring the game’s first goal. The Rangers are also 13-3-1 when leading after the first period, and 17-1-1 when leading after the second.

SHOOTING GALLERY: The Blueshirts have out-shot their opponent in 16 of the last 20 games, holding a 698-585 shot advantage over their opponents during the stretch. The Rangers have registered 40 or more shots eight times this season, and have posted 30 or more shots in 19 of the last 24 contests. New York ranks fourth in the NHL with 32.4 shots per game.

ROAD WARRIORS: New York has won 13 of their last 17 road contests, including five of their last six, and are now 15-10-0 away from Madison Square Garden this season. The Rangers’ 15 road wins are tied for first in the Eastern Conference and second in the league overall. The Blueshirts power play ranks third in the NHL on the road, tallying 20-78 (25.6%) with the man advantage on the road. Henrik Lundqvist is 4-1-0 with a 2.36 GAA and .923 Sv% in his last five road games.

THE HOT LIST:
Henrik Lundqvist – Is 5-1-0 with a 1.34 GAA, .958 Sv%, and one shutout in his last six games, and 7-2-1 with a 1.97 GAA, .937 Sv%, and one shutout in his last 10
Rick Nash – seven goals in the last eight contests, including three goals and a plus-four rating in the last two, and four game-winning goals in the last six games
Brad Richards – 10 points (four goals, six assists) in the last nine games
Mats Zuccarello – has registered a point in five of the last seven games (three goals, two assists over the span), including two goals in the last three games, and has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the last 12 games
Ryan McDonagh – three assists in the last five games, including a power play assist in each of the last two
Ryan Callahan – has recorded a point in six of the last nine games (two goals, four assists over the span)

COUNTDOWN TO 6K: The Rangers have played in 5,991 regular season games throughout the franchise’s 88 seasons, just nine games shy of 6,000 all-time. The Blueshirts are scheduled to play their 6,000th game all-time on February 6 against the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden.

Bossy has always been a big ‘what if’ for me. The Rangers had not one, but two picks ahead of the Isles in the ’77 draft and they take DeBlois and Duguay and leave Bossy there for Bill Torrey to scarf up.

Interesting and possibly pivotal stretch for the Rangers coming up before the Olympic break. Eight games, 7 of them in NYC. 5 against teams below them in the standings, the other 3 against teams 10 points or more better than them. and 5 of the game against long time, hated divisional rivals.

While the Blues and Avalanche will be a good measure of how far the Rangers have progressed, you almost don’t mind losing those points to them as much as you do Eastern Conference teams.

If I had my wish for these 8 games I would like to see wins in regulation against the Devils, Pens and at least two of the Islander games, one win from the either the Blues or Avs, and lastly they should, in any scenario beat the Oilers.

Not trying to get too far ahead of things here, but based on the body of work over the last 2 weeks, these Rangers have the chance to put themselves into the driver’s seat for a top 4 spot in conference heading into the final quarter of the season.

He will be the one to watch, the kid was a stick in college. He played 2 years for the Sioux, and was the point leader as a sophomore, than he made the jump. Last year he lead the Tigers in scoring. And look at him now?

Now Jason Blake – came before him. I actually have one of his Jersey’s, but I could never come to put an Islander Jersey ON :)

Not many Isles I liked, Bourne was ok and always wanted Nystrom, hated Smith, Potvin, Trots, Howatt both Sutters. didn’t mind Goring. Why I hated the Flyers more is because there was only one I could take…Rick MacLeash

Is that his salary, UK? I don’t know how the coaches are paid, but players salaries are prorated based on days on roster, not games played. So if coaches are payed similarly, his suspension will cost him 15/186.

Hard to say how much this costs Torts. It depends on how his salary is structured. Does he get paid based on 186 days like the players? Does he get paid per game? Does he get a 365 day salary? A lot of ways this could go.

I thought I read somewhere that there was an undisclosed fine as well. Maybe I didn’t.

The knock on Bossy was his utter lack of defense at the position. Many NHL G.M.’s were buying into that.

The Isles got really lucky. In fact, the first time Bossy scored 50+ goals many in and out of the game were still saying “Yes, but…..” as regarded his callous disregard for back-checking and fore-checking. Not to fret, the Rangers cannot be blamed for making a mistake as regards Bossy, any more than anybody else who passed him by in that draft.

Hartley was fined for his player selection to start the game, which was viewed as an intent to start a line brawl. WestGarth, a right wing, was placed at center ice to take the faceoff, and made no attempt to do so, instead immediately dropping his gloves and going after Bieksa, who actually makes a play to win the draw.

The precedent for this was set when Ron Rolston was fined in the preseason.

The link was Vickers/Tay-Chuck/Hedberg. Sheehan was called up after the game 1 OT loss to the Flyers in the 2nd round when it was clear the Rangers could use some extra speed, and he made an immediate impact.

The Rangers held Bossy without a goal until Game 6, so this shot is from the Mausoleum.

Not sure of Hickey’s other line mate, as Don Maloney/Espo/Murdoch was the other line. Might have been Eddie Johnstone.

“In regular League and Playoff games, if both listed goalkeepers are incapacitated, that team shall be entitled to dress and play any available goalkeeper who is eligible. This goalkeeper is eligible to sit on the player’s bench, in uniform. In the event that the two regular goalkeepers are injured in quick succession, the third goalkeeper shall be provided with a reasonable amount of time to get dressed, in addition to a two-minute warm-up (except when he enters the game to defend against a penalty shot).”

Thanks for the research, Doodie. I figured you’d be able to dress a skater, but only if both were hurt. Didn’t think they’d make you forfeit the game, or play with an empty net, but I haven’t seen both get hurt before.

I’ve played both of the games, extensively. The winner is NHL 94. I don’t think it’s all that close. Basically, the only negative was the removal of blood and fighting. Had it carried those over from NHLPA 93, it wouldn’t even be a conversation.

I think the only thing that got Torts in serious trouble was the fact that CBC got it on film. If that game is not on HNIC, then there wouldn’t be a stationary camera over the vistors’ dressing room. Without that camera, you’ll get a bunch of unconfirmed reports about an altercation. He probably gets a big fine, but no suspension because of the attention that it would draw to the altercation.

It also shows what a tremendous blown decision the John Scott thing was. Although it still doesn’t matter to Vancouver; if Calgary eats some major suspensions for injuring a Sedin, that’s of little consolation for the player loss.

Oh! Important *BEER* update. For those of us involved in the *Porter* discussion and those of us claiming that *Founders Porter* was the best *Porter* on the planet, I checked this weekend and it’s the highest *rated* Porter in America receiving a perfect *100/100*

‘In a musty old hall in Detroit, they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors’ Cathedral.
The church bell chimed ’til it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee.
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early.’

Musky & Torts is to Jekyll & Hyde
The evil Musky once again showed his uncontrollable rage driven by Napoleonic feelings of inadequacy and transitions from dog loving family man to screaming lunatic hockey coach.